Welcome to the
NATIONAL CARES MENTORING MOVEMENT
For The Love of Our Children Gala
We don't have an eternity to realize our dreams, only the time we are here. –Susan L. Taylor
Thank you to our sponsors
premier sponsor
preSENTING sponsor
PLATINUM SPONSORS
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silver Sponsors
BRONZE Sponsors
Amplified Voices TV
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
CITI
AARP
Jatali Bellaton
National Cares
Mentoring Movement
PROGRAM
ORDER OF PROGRAM
Opening featuring a special performance - Ledisi
Welcome from our host - Tamron Hall
The Singing of The National Anthem
Presentation - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
A Message from Gratitude from our
Board Chair and President
A Blessing - Rev. Al Sharpton
DINNER
The Women Who Made Us
A Love Note - Stephen Powell and Dr. Yorri Berry
A Celebration of the Rising Program and
Young Black Brilliance
Why the Work Must be Sustained - Reggie Canal
Love and Legacy - Special Surprise Guest
Susan L. Taylor
Performance by the incomparable - Jill Scott
Good Night
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. –Maya Angelou
MENU
You can cage the singer but not the song. –Harry Belafonté
Strategic partners
American Nurses Enterprise
Association of Black Psychologists
Coca Cola Future Careers Academy
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated
Jack and Jill of America
Incorporated
The Links, Incorporated
National Black Child
Development Institute
National Coalition of
100 Black Women
National Medical Association
Phi Beta Sigma Incorporated
FedEx
Sephora
Affiliates
Albuquerque CARES
Antelope Valley, CA CARES
Arkansas Pine Bluff CARES
Atlanta CARES
Austin CARES
Baltimore CARES
Birmingham CARES
Boston CARES
Brooklyn CARES
Charlotte CARES
Columbus CARES
Dallas-Fort Worth CARES
Greater Denver CARES
Derby City (Louisville) CARES
Detroit CARES
Durham CARES
Empire City (NYC) CARES
Fayetteville-Raeford CARES
The Hamptons, NY CARES
Hampton Roads, VA CARES
Harlem CARES
Hattiesburg, Mississippi Dream CARES
Houston CARES
Indianapolis CARES
Jacksonville CARES
Los Angeles CARES
Los Angeles-North Valley CARES
Memphis CARES
Minneapolis-Twin Cities CARES
Montgomery CARES
Nassau County, NY CARES
National Capital Area
(Washington, DC) CARES
Greater Newark CARES
Oakland Bay Area CARES
Omaha CARES
Phoenix CARES
Pittsburgh CARES
Providence CARES
Sacramento CARES
San Antonio CARES
San Diego CARES
San Jose CARES
Seattle CARES
Southeastern PA (Philadelphia) CARES
Southeast Queens CARES
South Florida CARES
Southwest Ohio CARES
Stamford CARES
Tallahassee-Indaba CARES
Windy City (Chicago) CARES
thank you
EVENT PLANNING COMMITTEE
Reginald Van Lee, Event Chair
Ryan D. Anderson
asha bandele
Yorri Berry
Shannon M. Carey
Gregory F. Corbin, Jr.
Renee Daniel Flagler
Danyelle Dean
Georgette Dixon
LaVon D. Leak
Alexander Mane-Nunez
Derek Peterson
Vivian Pickard
Stephen Powell
OnyxArt
Glow Global Events
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Reginald Van Lee
Board Chairman,
National CARES Mentoring Movement
Partner & Managing Director, Alix Partners
Susan L. Taylor
Founder & CEO,
National CARES Mentoring Movement
Ryan D. Anderson
FSB Director-Bank CRA Officer,
Ameriprise Bank
Byna Elliott
President & CEO of
Opportunity Resource Fund
Vivian R. Pickard
President & CEO, The Pickard Group
President, General Motors Foundation
and Director, Corporate Relations (retired)
I thrive on obstacles. If I’m told that it can’t be done, then I push harder.” —Issa Rae
Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. –Cicely Tyson
Thank You
Your support HELPS transform lives
For more information about the 2026 gala, email: gala@caresmentoring.org
PAST GALA HIGHLIGHTS
Our annual signature fundraising event is a call to action. Produced for the first time in 2016, the Gala serves as the primary gathering of caring supporters–corporate, community, and policy leaders, celebrity champions, and those who are deeply invested in our children's success.
